I have seen that there are a few people using the Lee 358-158-RF, but mostly at near max loads in 357. Has anyone tried this with a fast powder (like Titegroup) out of 357, if so how accurate was it?

I always hear "size the bullet to the throat." Does that mean if my throat is .359 I should size to .359 or should I size to just less than .359? Thanks.

Pb head

04-05-2005, 05:46 PM

I could never get it to shoot well with the heavier loads out of a contender or BF falling block. I'm going to try it in a Marlin trials end as soon as I get to it. What did work very very well was 4 or 4 1/2 gr of tite group in either a 357 or 38 special case. Just about one hole off the bags at 25yds. The most accurate load I've ever found for those two pistols. I use it on bowling pins at 25yds and sillywet out to 100yd rams. I have the 6 cavity mold and love it for the speed I can go through a 20# pot. I size at .357 because that's the only 35 cal die I have for my Star. Works for me.

Pb head

JohnH

04-05-2005, 08:50 PM

I use that bullet with great pleasure in my 357 Maximum Handi Rifle, but I am only pushing it to 900 fps. I've pushed it as fast as 1400 but it looks like I shot the target with buckshot. It does OK at 1200 but is really nice at 900. I am using 7.2 grains of #107, a milsurp flake powder from Jeff Bartlett. It is quite like Blue Dot, weighing out the same from a fixed rotor measure and yeilding velocities within 100 fps. I shoot it unsized, my mold drops 'em at 359

Buckshot

04-06-2005, 03:56 AM

.........It did really well in my K38 @ 850 fps. Shoot some experimentally out of my Ruger BH 357 at upwards of 1200 fps and it did as well as (but not better then) my Ly358156 and RCBS 38-162. But those were both GC designs, so at least the PB Lee is keeping up! I like the boolit and the mould alot.

................Buckshot

Willbird

04-06-2005, 06:51 AM

I have cast about 1500 of the boolit in question in water dropped WW metal, I have fired a few rounds with max loads of Lilgun that seem to indicate it will shoot,(6" at 100 yards from 4" iron sighted sec. six) I am lube sizing the boolits now, when I get them done then I will load more and I will know more, I am leaning towards running some green dot because I have 2-3 lbs of it kicking around and do not currently use it for anything else.

Bill

SGD

04-06-2005, 09:34 AM

Thanks for the info guys. I will have to pick up a six cavity after I start my new job (employee discount). ;-)

sundog

04-06-2005, 10:24 AM

SGD, notice you're in Columbia, MO. You going to work for Midway, by any chance? sundog

SGD

04-06-2005, 10:45 AM

Yep, no more killing rats at the University for me.

swheeler

04-06-2005, 11:40 AM

SGD: I shoot this bullet in 38 special loads at about 950 fps, with Alcan AL-5 7.7 grs. Haven't tried it in the 357 yet, but plan to with HS7. This was my first 6 cavity mold and I like it a lot, drops bullets at .359", I usually get about 400 bullets per hour, cast 50-60 with it, set it down and pick up another mold cast till it gets too hot, back to the first, whatever works for you. Scooter

Ed Barrett

04-06-2005, 02:38 PM

Yep, no more killing rats at the University for me.

Did you get to use a .22 to kill them? <G>

SGD

04-06-2005, 06:01 PM

Did you get to use a .22 to kill them? <G>
No, I would take their hearts out and grind them up in a blender so that some one else could measure the power out put of one heart cell. I still have to take the hearts out of some transgenic mice and hook them up to a big apparatus and measure the power of them. Once a semester I would also use a guillotine on a few rats to get blood for an undergraduate class. PETA really hates me, I'm a hunting, trapping, research animal killing machine.

carpetman

04-06-2005, 07:04 PM

SGD---how much power does a cat cell put out? Would seem much research needs to be done in this area.

Scrounger

04-06-2005, 07:38 PM

SGD---how much power does a cat cell put out? Would seem much research needs to be done in this area.